Former runner-up for BBC's Young Gardener of the year, Damian Jenkinson, 28, had 338 child porn images on his computer - one showing the sexual abuse of a baby

A BBC Young Gardener of the Year finalist has been jailed after hundreds of images of children as young as three-months-old being abused were found on his laptop.

Damian Jenkinson, 28, was caught with almost 400 child porn images on his computer - one showing the sexual abuse of a baby - after his partner trawled his laptop for evidence he might be seeing someone else, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

Police officers seized the computer equipment and found a total of 338 indecent images, of which 165 were in the most serious category.

He tried to claim the images had come to him by mistake and he had no sexual gratification in looking at them.

But Judge Mark Brown told him he did not accept his claims.

He added: 'But for people like you such appalling abuse would not take place. There has to be an immediate prison sentence to send the message out to others.'

Jenkinson, who was nominated for an award on the BBC3 horticultural programme in 2012, was Wigan council's 'poster boy' for the Britain in Bloom competitions.

He helped the council win awards at the Tatton Park flower show, became an ambassador for the Royal Horticultural Society and wrote gardening blogs for The Guardian newspaper.

Jenkinson, of Platt Bridge, near Wigan admitted three offences of possessing indecent images and nine of making such images.

He was jailed for 10 months, given a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and must pay a £100 surcharge.

The court heard that Jenkinson was a talented horticulturist and had been nominated for the BBC show which looks for a young gardener aged 16-25 who will be 'a true ambassador for their trade'.

Jenkinson, who was nominated for an award on the BBC3 horticultural programme in 2012, was Wigan council's 'poster boy' for the Britain in Bloom competitions. He was caught with the child porn after his partner trawled his laptop for evidence he might be seeing someone else, Liverpool Crown Court heard

He had also worked with tenants, residents and businesses on environmental projects for Wigan Borough in Bloom.

The court heard that Jenkinson had lost his £30,000 job with Wigan Council which had brought him in direct contact with schoolchildren.

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But his former employer stressed that there was no suggestion from police investigations that any of them had fallen victim to his cravings.

In court his lawyer Paul Becker said his client had lost his job, his relationship, his home and good name. He added that he realises he has also brought shame on his family.

Police officers seized the computer equipment and found a total of 338 indecent images, of which 165 were in the most serious category. He tried to claim the images had come to him by mistake and he had no sexual gratification in looking at them. But Judge Mark Brown told him he did not accept his claims

After the case Terry Dunn, Wigan Council's Director of Environment, said: 'As soon as the council was contacted by Greater Manchester Police regarding the allegations we suspended Damian Jenkinson straight away and his employment was subsequently terminated.

'Following a thorough police investigation there is no evidence that any of the images that Damian Jenkinson downloaded or created involved any local children or that any children in Wigan Borough were put at risk.'